About Us

Louis Langrée and the CSO have the spark that signals great things to come, drawn together by a passion and vision to transform the live experience and create inspiring performances that are sure to captivate you. Be an integral part of the CSO’s history. Don’t miss Louis’ first season as Music Director. Feel the spark.

Louis’ inaugural concerts honor CSO’s past and present

Louis Langrée begins his first full season as the CSO’s 13th Music Director with an inaugural program in November featuring one of the most inspirational voices of our time, Dr. Maya Angelou, narrating Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, an iconic work that had its world premiere by the CSO at Music Hall in 1942. It is also the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, from which much of the text is derived. The program also features Beethoven’s enormously popular Fifth Symphony, which was also performed during the CSO’s very first season in 1895, and composer Jennifer Higdon’s exhilarating On a Wire, a recent CSO co-commission written for the contemporary ensemble eighth blackbird and orchestra.

This inaugural program encapsulates a season that celebrates the CSO’s traditions of performing great masterworks and introducing the world to exciting new music. These historic inaugural concerts set the stage for a vibrant new era for the CSO. See you at Music Hall on November 8-10. More information and tickets.

One City, One Symphony returns

Music brings people together. This was never more true than when the CSO embarked on the inaugural One City, One Symphony program this past year, capturing the imagination of thousands in the region, building anticipation for its performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Audiences met the project with boundless enthusiasm, describing it as “fascinating,” “moving,” and “soaring” while the entire community engaged in listening parties, a live video feed of the performance, downloadable resources and discussion guides, free digital downloadsand more.

Louis and the CSO are proud to reprise One City, One Symphonyin the fall of 2013. The Orchestra will again bring our community together in a remarkable shared experience to explore themes of love, fate and redemption in Tchaikovsky’s lushly romantic Symphony No. 4 and in a beautiful but nearly forgotten work by Mozart, Davidde Penitente, based on the Psalms of David. Concert informationand details on One City, One Symphony.

CSO and MusicNOW join forces

Musical worlds collide in March of 2014 when Louis and the CSO embark on a groundbreaking artistic collaboration with Cincinnati’s premiere new music festival, MusicNOW. Under the direction of Bryce Dessner, guitarist for the indie rock band The National, Cincinnati’s MusicNOW Festival began in 2006 to present musicians and music that takes risks and doesn’t fit neatly into any category. Featuring two distinct programs in two consecutive evenings at Music Hall, this revolutionary presentation promises heart-pounding rhythms, gorgeous melodies and sheer intensity bathed in rich orchestral colors.

Each program features a world premiere, one each by America’s most sought-after composers Nico Muhly and David Lang.

Hailed “the undisputed queen of violin-playing” (The Times, London), the legendary Anne-Sophie Mutter is celebrated worldwide for her artistry, award-winning recordings and unforgettable performances. She stars in the CSO’s blockbuster Season Opening Gala concerton September 28.

Artists-in-residence and an ensemble-in-residence engage the community

Following in the footsteps of the highly successful “creative director” model, the CSO will engage two solo artists-in-residence during the 2013-14 season, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and violinist Augustin Hadelich, as well as an ensemble-in-residence, eighth blackbird. These musicians will each participate in separate Cincinnati residency weeks comprised of performances, masterclasses, workshops, community appearances and more that will benefit Cincinnati in myriad ways.

In addition to world premieres by Nico Muhly and David Lang during the MusicNOW Festival, the CSO will perform two other works by living composers, William Perry’s Trumpet Concerto on OCT 4-5 and James MacMillan’s Percussion Concerto (veni, veni Emmanuel) on JAN 31-FEB 1. To learn more about these four preeminent composers, please visit www.cincinnatisymphony.org/composers.

“If music be the food of love, play on”

For centuries, composers have been inspired by the legend, romance and rivalries impressed on generations by the writing of William Shakespeare. To commemorate the Bard’s 450th anniversary, the CSO will perform a number of works inspired by Shakespeare throughout the season: